Application Documents and Materials

A complete application consists of the following materials. For instructions on how to submit the materials please consult the Application Instructions link from within the application itself once you have received your PIN and logged in.

A statement of intent (300 to 600 words) and a C.V.

Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended. These should be uploaded to your application, not sent to the Graduate School offices or to the Department of Theology.

GRE scores and, for all nonnative speakers of English, TOEFL scores.

Three letters of recommendation.

Waiver of Access form for each letter of recommendation.

The optimal length of a writing sample is fifteen to twenty pages. You may submit a longer sample but should be aware that faculty may not have time to read it in its entirety. Thus, if you do submit a longer sample it should have shorter subsections that demonstrate the sorts of skills that you would like the faculty to bear in mind when considering your application.

If you have questions about using the admissions software, please contact the Graduate School at (574) 631-7706 .

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Financial Support

Some students will hold national scholarships or fellowships. For those who need financial assistance, the Graduate School and Department of Theology offer the following types of grants:

Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships

Most students receive a departmental graduate fellowship that includes a full-tuition scholarship and an annual stipend (for students starting in 2014-2015 this is $19,000.

Students are not responsible for any service during their first and fourth years.

During the second and third years, graduate students work for a member of the faculty (c. twelve hours per week during the academic year).

In the fifth year, students teach two independent courses.

Graduate School Premier Fellowships

In addition to departmental graduate fellowships, some students may be awarded premier fellowships from the Graduate School. These fellowships are offered on a competitive basis and provide full tuition, an increased stipend, and full coverage of the university's health insurance premium.

Students have the same responsibilities (in years two, three and five) as students with a departmental fellowship.

More information regarding these fellowships can be found at the Graduate School website.

Tuition Scholarships

In cases where students receive extramural support, the University normally covers tuition costs.

Supplementary Support

The Graduate School and the Department also make other types of financial support available.

Students are given travel grants by the Department to help underwrite the expense of attending conferences in order to present papers, network with colleagues, and interview for jobs. There are other sources of funding in the University that help students meet particular needs: traveling internationally to research archives, for example.

Most students receive summer dissertation stipends in their fourth and fifth years so that they can focus on research and writing.

Housing

Housing costs in South Bend are far less than those in most urban areas. Apartments are reasonably priced and some students have purchased homes for their years of graduate study.

Questions?

If you have questions about our Ph.D. program, please contact Ph.D. and MTS Assistant Cheron Price at 574-631-4254 or cprice@nd.edu.